Connection, Community, and Creativity

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This time of year can motivate us to make changes, embark on new things, and set goals we want to accomplish both personally and professionally. It is also a good time to try and start new practices and routines that will be of benefit to our wellbeing, relationships, work, and daily life in the year ahead. This post inspired by topics in The Art Therapist’s Guide to Social Media, offers some to-do’s that art therapists to-be and art therapists can revisit, learn more about, or begin implementing related to professional social media use and online activity for the year ahead.

An Art Therapist’s New Year Checklist for Social Media:

☐ Take time to check your privacy settings on your social media profiles and sites. Remember to maintain awareness and management throughout the year;

☐ Find out about and review any social media policies or considerations that have been instituted at your university, workplace, and the communities or programs you are part of;

☐ Google your name to be aware of what content is available about you online. These results are also what others are viewing when they google or do an Internet search for you;

☐ Keep your LinkedIn profile updated;

☐ Be aware of your “Three Degrees of Influence”;

☐ Keep client content (art expressions, interactions, conversations- both negative, positive, and even when not using identifying information) off your personal social media networks of friends and family. When sharing online in professional or educational forums, protect identifying information, obtain consent, and consider the intention;

☐ If you are an art therapist in private practice or own an art therapy business, consider creating a social media policy to use with your clients;

☐ Strengthen your resources and understanding of digital social responsibility as a clinician;

☐ Remember to pause before you post online. Mindfully think about your post’s possible impact and influence, not just in relationship to your work as an art therapist, but also as a representative of the profession at-large. We are all ambassadors of art therapy on and offline;

☐ If you are an art therapy blogger, draft a one year editorial calendar to plan possible topics, content, and consistent scheduling;

☐ Practice and model global digital citizenship;

☐ Use social media to discover/learn a new art technique, media, artist, or creative inspiration;

☐ Identify and develop a social media sharing and delivery strategy that empowers your professional self, values, and work;

☐ Take an inventory of your digital assets. How you can leverage or enhance existing resources to promote and bring education to your work, art therapy, the populations you serve, and its benefits? Are there digital assets would you like to develop this year?

☐ Become aware of your digital footprint as you use the Internet and share online.

Taking on the above checklist can empower us as art therapists to take ownership of our digital presence, activity, and choices we make (or don’t make) online. Smart practices to start and integrate!

As 2017 comes to a close, thanks to everyone who was part of making The Art Therapist’s Guide to Social Media lots of fun to launch this year! Gratitude to everyone who helped, contributed to, and supported this labor of love. From Routledge, contributors, readers, friends, family to colleagues from the art therapy community and more- Thank you! Looking forward to some book inspired happenings in 2018!

Author’s Acknowledgments (pp. xxii-xxiii):

First and foremost, I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to the teachers and mentors that have guided and supported my development – personally and professionally. This book is a labor of love, truly manifested by 20 years of connection, community, and creativity I have experienced within the art therapy field related to technology. This book could not have become a reality without the contributions and inspirations of so many on and offline. A special thank you to peers and colleagues from the Art Therapy Alliance and 6 Degrees of Creativity communities- two of my digital tribes, as well as Ohio’s Buckeye Art Therapy Association and the American Art Therapy Association for supporting my interests in using technology to promote art therapy. To the numerous art therapists and other artists from all around the world that I have had the pleasure to connect with through social media: on networks, various art exchanges, collaborations, groups, and creative adventures that we have experienced together – your motivation, enthusiasm, and creative goodness is something I hold sacred and value. My deep appreciation goes to Dr. Jordan Potash for his invaluable help throughout my entire writing and editing process, as well as ongoing encouragement from my colleagues in the Counseling & Art Therapy Program at Ursuline College. In addition, I want to extend an expression of heartfelt thanks to Dr. Lynn Kapitan for contributing this book’s inspiring foreword. I am grateful as well for the amazing graphic design skills of Nate Fehlauer of Wiscy Jones Creative who did a wonderful job with the book’s illustrations. Thanks to the editorial and production staff at Routledge, especially to then commissioning editor Christopher Teja who patiently recruited me to write this book, editor Elizabeth Graber, and editorial assistant Nina Guttapalle who were vital in assisting me throughout this new experience and journey. Of course, the most notable acknowledgement of thanks and love goes to my incredible partner Kevin King, my family, and friends who have always unconditionally supported all my art therapy endeavors and service within this remarkable profession.

A recognition of gratitude to the following global group of friends, art therapists and artists who generously contributed their art for this book or shared their experiences and insights:

Coming in 2018: An online Facebook book discussion group for readers of The Art Therapist’s Guide to Social Media! An opportunity for art therapists, art therapy students, and other interested readers to dialogue weekly about each chapter of the book. A great way to spend the cold, winter months at the warm keyboard of your tablet, mobile device, or desktop! So get your copy ready to join the group (any or all!) beginning January through March 2018 every Sunday 5:00-6:30 pm EST. Tell your colleagues, classmates, students, and friends (off and online!). Sign up here through the site’s contact form if you are interested in a group invitation to participate!

Tentative Schedule:

January 7

Chapter 1: Introduction to Social Networking and Social Media

January 14

Chapter 2: The Challenges and Benefits of Social Networking

January 21

Chapter 3: Social Media, Art Therapy, and Professionalism

January 28

Chapter 4: The Value of Digital Community for Art Therapists

February 4

Chapter 5: Strengthening the Art Therapy Profession through Social Media

February 11

Chapter 6: Social Networking and the Global Art Therapy Community

February 18

Chapter 7: Social Media and the Art Therapist’s Creative Practice

February 25

Chapter 8: 6 Degrees of Creativity

March 4

Chapter 9: Future Considerations: Social Media and Art Therapists

Routledge is also having an end of the year sale of all its book titles, which includes a 20% discount of The Art Therapist’s Guide to Social Media if you still need to purchase a copy in time for the discussion group! 🙂

On the campus of Ursuline College and in the Parker Hannifin Center for Healing Arts and Sciences (home of the Counseling and Art Therapy Graduate Program), a book reception and author signing brought out students, alumni, faculty, book contributors, friends, and family to celebrate the book’s release in good company! Thank you to Ursuline College and the CAT Program for their event support. Much appreciation to friends who helped with contributing to the event with art-making, social media balloon art, and managing book sales. A very fun evening!

Virtual Book Release Party on Facebook

This online event included friends, colleagues, book contributors, and supporters from around the US, Canada, Ireland, Taiwan, and Australia. The evening was chock full of trivia and contests inspired by the book, as well as giveaways of items to those who participated. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend!

AATA Advanced Practice Course

At the 2017 American Art Therapy Association conference, there were two program offerings that explored the professional use of social media among art therapists: an all day advanced practice course about digital presence and a discussion focus group that provided an opportunity for conference attendees to dialogue about issues and topics related to social networking. Connecting with art therapists about these topics generated great discussion and considerations about ways we and the field can use social media professionally, ethically, and creatively. During the advanced practice course attendees also made art to further address their social media use, digital ecosystems, and digital footprints as art therapists (Photographed and posted with participant permission).

Meet the Author and Book Signing at the American Art Therapy Association Conference

The Art Therapist’s Guide to Social Media was included in the AATA conference’s official bookstore, Baystate Professional Book Services and part of the conference’s meet the authors and signing event. Coming together with colleagues, students, friends, and meeting new faces in this setting was so fun! Thank you to Baystate and everyone who purchased the book on site from the bookstore!

Upcoming Events

Author Q&A on Facebook– December 3 (begins 5:00 pm EST): This event next month features an opportunity for attendees to ask questions related to the writing of The Art Therapist’s Guide to Social Media and its contents. Free signed book giveaway will take place during the meet-up!

October 29- Virtual Book Launch Party! 7:30-9:30 p.m. EST– This online event on Facebook is a celebration of the book’s release and a thank you to supporters, contributors, and interested readers from all around the world. The virtual festivities will include fun social media inspired contests, trivia, & giveaways related to the book!

NOVEMBER

November 8-12, The Art Therapist’s Guide to Social Media will be available on-site at the American Art Therapy Association Conference Bookstore in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On Thursday, November 9, 5:00-7:00 p.m., stop by the Author Book Signing in during the Marketplace Extravaganza!